Roof construction



Aug. 25, 1959 c. w. ADELT 2,900,929

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l o 0 o SLL o 6 //0 lo 0 n n q INVENTOR 4 F7 6. 5. 640.4 m 4054. 77

WAWMM fiG IM S A118. 25, c. w. ADELT 2,900,929

' ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6'. I 23 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent ROOF CONSTRUCTION Carl W. Adelt, Mays Landing, NJ. Application August 6, 1954, Serial No. 448,240

2 Claims. (Cl. 108-17) This invention relates to roof construction.

An object of the invention is to provide a roof construction in which the conventional rafters and sheathing are eliminated and in the construction of which no cutting and nailing of parts is required. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a roof construction which may be installed upon any size or type of building by the mere assembling of prefabricated parts, without the necessity of the performance of skilled carpentry operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roof construction which may be set up, repaired, or ,altered from within the building, making unnecessary any dangerous work on the outside of a roof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a roof construction which is easily and quickly set up, which is firmly held in place and which presents a novel and attractive appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from :the following description considered in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the substructure of the roof construction of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the substructure of. the pres ent invention partially covered by shingles of oval shape;

Figure 4 is a top perspective view, on enlarged scale, of one of the oval shingles shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom view of the shingle of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a planview of the substructure of the present invention partially covered by shingles of diamond shape;

Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the shingles of Figure 6, showing the ring type connecting means;

Figure 8 is a bottom perspective view of one of the shingles of Figure 6, on an enlarged scale, showing the connector wire by which the shingle is connected to the substructure;

Figure 9 is a bottom perspective view of one of the shingles of Figure 6, on an enlarged scale, showingthe connector wire sections usedin connecting the shingle to the substructure;

Figure 10 is a detailed view, on an enlarged view, of the ring attaching means of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the connector wire of Figure 8; and r Figure 12 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the connector wire sections of Figure 9. 7

Referring to the drawings, the reference. numeral 15 designates generally an upright subs-tructureincluding a pair of members 16 and 17 arranged in longitudinal spaced relation. The member 16 is adapted to be secured along a wall plate of a building to be roofed and the member 17 is adapted to be secured along the complemental side of the building ridge pole. The surfaces of a may take any suitable form.

the member 16 which face outwardly and downwardly when the member 16 is secured to the wall plate, are covered with a flashing 18, secured to the member 16 by appropriate fastening means 19. A plurality of anchoring elements or spaced hooks 20 project outwardly along the flashing 18. The surface of the member 17 which faces outwardly when the member 17 is secured to the ridge pole, is covered with a plate 21, which is secured tothe member 17 by fastening means 22, and carries a plurality of anchoring elements or spaced hooks 23 projecting outwardly therefrom.

The substructure 15 also includes a plurality of spaced, flexible elements 24 which extend transversely of the members 16 and 17. Each element 24. has one end fix! edly connected to the lower member 16 and has the other end adjustably connected to the upper member 17. Specifically, the one end of each element 24 is looped about the complemental hook 20 and fastened upon itself, as

shown in 25, to connect the element 24 fixedly to the} member 16 and the other end of each of the elements 24 is connected to the complemental hook 23 through an adjustable securing means or turnbuckle 26, to connect the element 24 adjustably to the member 17.

Superimposed uponthe substructure 15 is a plurality of shingles 27 in the form of a decking. The shingles 27 may be of any suitable shape and are arranged so that each shingle partially overlaps adjacent shingles, the width;

Each of the diamond shaped shingles 27 :is arranged on the substructure 15 with the downturned edges 29 downward and the upturned edges upward. The upturned edges 30 of each shingle are thus overlapped by the dOWH". turned edges 290i each of the two overlapping shingles 27 to make a watertight juncture between the shingles.

Means are provided for individually connecting the portion, unobstructed by the overlapping, of each shingle to an adjacent one of the flexible elements 24.

In the form shown in Figures 7 and 10, the means consists of an attaching element or split ring 31 pivotally secured in an eye 32 projecting outwardly from the under surface of a crosspiece 33 which extends transversely of ziithe underside of the shingle 27 and is secured to the posed attaching elements or ears 34 extend inwardly of,

shingle by welding, brazing, or other suitable means. The

ring 31 is slipped about the adjacent flexible element 24 to secure the shingle 27 to the substructure 15. M

In' the form shown in Figures 8 and 11, a pair of opthe under face of the shingle 27, from opposite positions on the lateral edges thereof, each ear being provided with an aperture 35 formed therein. A fastening element or, connector wire 36 having books 37, formed on each eud and a loop 38 formed intermediate its ends, extendsbe tween the cars 34 and each hook 37 is engaged in the aperture 35 of the adjacent ear 34 to secure the wire 36 to the under face of the shingle 27. The loop 38 is circumposed about the adjacent flexible element 24 to secure the shingle 27 to the substructure 15.

In the form shown in Figures 9 and 12, ears 34 are employed but, instead of the connector wire 38, a pair of fastening elements or connector wire sections 39 are used. Each of the sections 39 has a hook 40 formed on one end and a clip 41 formed on the other end. The book 40 of one section 39 is engaged in the aperture 35 of one The means 4 of the-ears 34while the hook- 40 of the other section 39 is-engaged'in theaperture-35 of=the-other ear 34and-the clips 41 of both sections 39 engage the adjacent flexible element 24 to secure the shingle 27 to the substructure 15.

Anyofithe means forconnecting the shingles 27; to the adjacent fiexible elements 24- may be used with any shape of shingle' 27 employed.- lt' 'is to be notedthat-"the oval shaped shingle 2.7, shown in'Figures 4 and 5, is provided with ears 34 to ad apt it forconnecton to a flexible fmernher Z4 hyeither a connector Wire 36,- as shown in-Figure 121; ora pair of connector wire sections 39, asshown in Figure-12.. However, theoval shaped shingle 27 may,

as-readily,be providedwith connecting means embodying a split ring 3-1; as shown in Figures 7 and 10.

To install the roof construction; of the present inven tion-upon-abuilding,- the substructure 15 is first set-up by' securingthemember 16 along the wall plate of a wall ofi the building with the flashing 18 outermost and then securing the member 17 alongthe adjacent side of the rid'gepole ofthe building with the plate 21 outermost. A flexible element 24 is then fixedly secured at one end to eaoh of 'the hooks 20 on the member 16, as. shown iii-25; and the other end of each flexible member 24 is adjustably' secured to theuadjacent' hook 23 on the members 1-7 through the turnbuckle 26, tocomplete the sub structure 15. When the flexible elements 24 are originally connected, the turnbuckles 26 are adjusted so that there will be a smallamount of play in the elements 24.

Theshingles 27 may now be mounted upon the substructure 15. by engaging-them uponthe flexible elements of -the next tothe lower row overlapping the sections of the-upper portions of the shingles below and to either side-of itinthe lower row Whichare adapted to receive the-overlapping sections.

- The-next higher row of shingles is then put in place, the

shinglesin-this row being-attached to the elements 24 to which=the initial row of shingles was attached and the appropriatesections of the shingles 27 being overlapped upon the-shingles 27 below, as above described. Successive rows of shingles 27 are thus added, in the alternating fashion above described, until the member 17 is reached. When all shingles 27 are in place on the substructure 15,- the turnbuckles 26' are tightened to anchor the shingles 27-solidly in their'overlap positions and form airigid roof panel. A ridge cap of conventional character is securedoverthe upper portion of the upper rows of shingles 27 on eachside of the ridge pole of the building.to"seal the juncture of the roof panels againstleakage.

A's-willbe' apparentfrom the foregoing description, the roof construction of the present invention is adapted to -any-size orform of roof in which shingles are ordinarily used. Its use makes unnecessary'the conventional rafters'iand'sheathing and the fitting and nailing of parts, thus: effecting savings. in both labor andmaterial. Since the. setting up of-the roof construction of the present invention involves merely the assembly of prefabricated parts, no skilled labor is required. Moreover, the shingles 27 '-may-'be='pnt"in* place on'the elements'24 from" a posi- 16 to the member-'17..

What is claimed is:

1. A roof construction comprising a substructure including a pair of members arranged in longitudinal spaced relation, and a plurality of spaced flexible elements extending transversely of said members and each. element having one end fi'xedlyconnected to one of said members and. having the other end adjustably connected. to. the other of said members, a plurality of shingles in the form of decking superimposed upon said structure, said shingles 'being arranged in staggered relationship, each. of said shingles being provided'oniopposite side edges with, wire attaching means 'slidably connected to corresponding flexible elements," and additional fastening elements con-' I nected to opposed wire attachingmeans of each shingle "and slidablyiconnected to an intermediate flexible element wherebycach shingleis connectedto three flexible; elements, said shingles being'provided with stop means abutting the next lower shingleto position theshingl'esin predetermined relationship.

2. A roofconstruction comprisingasubstructure in cludinga pairofmembers arranged in longitudinalspaced' relation, a. plurality of anchoring elements arranged in spaced relation along each=of. said'members and carried thereby; and'a pluralityof spaced flexible elements ar ranged transversely of said'members, each element having one endfixedly connected to an anchoring element on one of said members and" having an adjustable securing means onthe other end connected to an anchoring-clef ment on the other of said members, a plurality of shingles in the form of decking superimposed upon said structure, said shinglesbeing arranged in staggered relationship, each of said" shingles being provided at opposite side edges, with wire attachingmeans' slidablyconnected. to'

corresponding flexible elements, andadditional fastens ing elements connected to opposed Wire attaching means of each-shingle and" slidably' connected to an intermediate'flexibleelement' whereby each shingle is connected to three flexible elements, said shingle. elements being providedwith stopmeans abutting the next lower shingle to positionthe' shingles in" predetermined" relationship.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 341,966- Thorn et'al May 18, 1.886 416,826 Cooper Dec. 10,1889

482,025 Repp Sept. 6,1892. 525,098 Friedel Aug.:28,,1-894 708,307 Brock- Sept. 2, 1902 1,480,882 Davidson Jan. .15, 1924' 1,854,660. Martin :Apr. 19,1932 2,731,927 1956-.

McCain r Jan. 24, 

